Formation packer



March 6, 1.945.

c. H. BARNES- FORMATION PACKER- Filed Dec. 22, 1941 WENNZ,.////.././/.//.,///,.///////////////////////.., f //////v\\\\ INVENTORGHnzfs /z .54,6025

ATT RNEY v Patented Mar. 6, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT ortica FORMATIQNPACKER charles n, Barnes, Glendale, Calif., assigner to Lane-WellsCompany, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware f Applicationlleeember 22, 1941, Serial No. 423,870

s claims. (ci. 16e-1o) My invention relates to formation packers; thatis, to devices adapted to eifect a seal between well tubing andsurrounding formation confronting the well bore, and among the objectsof my invention are:

First, to provide a formation packer which is particularly adapted to beinterposed in a tubing string above a perforated linerto preventdownward flow of fluids around the tubing and into the liner;

Second, to provide a formation packer which does not require slips orsimilar wedging means, and is so arranged that when the packer is inposition the liner below hangs in suspension, and its weight, inaddition to any differential fluid pressure between the interior andexterior 'of the tubing string, insures ready engagement of the packerwith the surrounding formation;

Third, to provide a formation packer which may be used withconventionalliner hangers, or incorporated in tubing intended to besuspended from the well mouth; and

Fourth, to provide a bridging plug which is particularly simple andrugged in construction.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of my formation packer as it appearswhen set within a well bore;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of my formationpacker, taken along the same line as Figure 3 but showing the parts inthe positions assumed when running the packer into the well bore;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of myformation packer, taken through 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the parts inthe positions assumed when the packer is in engagement with thesurrounding formation; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through --t of Figure1.

My formation packer comprises two telescopi- `cally related tubularmembers including a mandrei i which is tubular in form and preferablyequal in diameter to the tubing from which it is suspended. The lowerend of the mandrel l is provided with radiating lugs 2. A sleeve 3 fitsover the mandrel tand is enlarged internally at its lower end, asindicated by 4, toV clear the lugs 2. The enlarged lower end 4 of thesleeve 3 is provided with `l-slots 5, each comprising a short axialgroove or leg 6 and a long axial groove or leg l connected by a crossgroove 8; The lugs 2 are adapted to ride in the J-slots 5. The longgrooves 1 extend above the'enlarged lower end 4, so that when the lugs 2move upwardly in the long grooves they protrude radially from the sleeve3.

The lower end of the sleeve 3 is attached by an adaptor fitting 9 to aliner A. The sleeve 3 carries a packing sleeve I0 formed of rubber oranalogous material. The upper end of the packing sleeve it engages anabutment collar il which is screw-threaded to the upper end'of thesleeve i. The abutment collar ll is provided .with a packing gland i2which forms a seal between the collar H and the mandrel l. The

packing gland l2 is provided with a packing gland nut it which isscrew-threaded into the upper' end of the abutment collar H around themandrel E'.

Below the packing sleeve iii there is provided a packer expanding collarit. The packer eX- panding collar itl is adapted to be engaged by thelugs 2 and moved upwardly on the sleeve t for the purpose of` axiallycompressing and radially expanding the packing sleeve i0.

Operation of my formation packer is as follows: The packer is connectedby the mandrel l to a tubing string (not shown) with a liner A suspendedfrom the packer. The tubing string, packer and liner are lowered into awell bore until the liner engages the bottom thereof. In running intothe Well bore the lugs 2 t into the short grooves t of the JI-slot, asshown in Figure Z, thus preventing compression of the packing sleeve.When, however, the liner engages the bottom of the well bore the mandrelt may be moved downwardly and rotated to move the lugs 2 from the shortgroove 6 into the long groove thereupon the tubing is raised whichcauses the lugs 2 to engage the packer expanding collar it, forcing thepacker out into contact with the walls. The only force actuallyavailable to expand the packer is the weight of the liner, which istransmitted through the packing sleeve 3 to the abutment collar il.Consequently, it is possible, after the packing sleeve engages the wellbore, to still lift the formation packer upwardly until the liner isspaced from the bottom of the well bore, preferably several feet. Bymoving the formation packer upwardly the frictional contact of thepacking sleeve l0 with the formation tends to further compress thesleeve and insure a iluidtight engagement with the surroundingformation.

It should be noted that the tubing string from which the packerissuspended may extend to the top of the well, or a liner hanger (notshown) the tubing string may be attached to the casing above by means ofthe liner hanger and the re-V maining portion of the tubing string abovethe liner hanger removed. Once the formation packer is in place, andsealing against'the formation,y the difference in hydrostatic levelbetween the interior of the tubing and the annular space around thetubing exerts a pressure tending to hold the packing elemen in sealingengagement.

I claim:

1. A formation packer comprising: a pair of relatively telescopingtubular members; a packing element carried on the outer of said members;and means for axially compressing and radially expanding said packingelement, including means' connected with said outer member forming anabutment for one end of said packing element and a collar slidable onthe outer member and contacting the other end of the packing element,projections connected with thel telescoping lower end of the innermember and extending radially through opening in the outer member forengagement with the collar to expand said packing element upon relativeuntelescoping movement of the tubular members.

2. A formation packer comprising: a pair of relatively telescopicallyrelated inner andgouter tubular members; a packing element carried onthe outer of said members; and means for axially compressing andradially expanding said packing element, including means connected withsaid outer member forming an abutment for one end oi.' said packingelement and a collar slidable on the outer member and contacting theother end of the packing element, lugs connected with Vthe telescopinglower end of the inner member and extending radially through openings inthe outer member for engagement with the collar to expand said packingelement uponrelative untelescoping movement of the tubular members;

ymay be interposed in the tubing string, so that said outer memberhaving J-shaped slots accommodating said lugs and having short legsadapted to restrain said lugs and long legs ladapted to permit operationof said lugs.

3. A formation packer comprising: a mandrel;

, a sleeve slidably tting thereover and having openings therein; acollar slidable on said sleeve; means on the telescoping lower end ofsaid mandrel extending outwardly radially through the l openings in saidsleeve and engageable with the lower end of said collar to move thesame; an abutment on said sleeve spaced from said collar; and a packingelement on said sleeve between said abutment and said collar whereby.upon relative untelescoping movement of said sleeve and mandrel saidpacking element is axially compressed and radially expanded.

4. A construction, as set forth lin clai 3 `wherein said openings areJ-'shaped, formi g a minor channel Ato accommodate said means andrestrain untelescoping movementof said andrel, and a major channeladapted to accommodate said means and permit untelescoping movement. i

5. A formation packer comprising:` a tubular sleeve attached to a linerand having slots in its lower end and an external abutment at its upperend; a mandrel suspended i'rom a tubing string and slidably positionedwithin said sleeve and including lugs on its lower end extendingradially through said slots; and a packing element interposed betweensaid abutment and said lugs; a collar slidable on the sleeve andpositioned between the packing element and the lugs whereby. uponmovement of said sleeve downwardly on l said mandrel, said vpackingelement is axially

